In 2017, UNSG Antonio Guterres and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat signed a Joint UN-AU framework for Enhancing Partnership in Peace and Security. Both leaders, however made clear that peace and security is just one of many fields in which the two organizations intend to cooperate more closely. The relationship between the UN’s Agenda 2030 and the AU’s 2063 was mentioned, as was migration, climate change, terrorism, human rights, good governance and the rule of law.

Africa faces many interrelated challenges such as keeping the peace, developing its economies, managing migration, and countering terrorism and crime: 7 out of 14 peacekeeping operations in the world are deployed in Africa; 33 African countries are classified as least developed (out of 47); 30% of Africa’s population is internally displaced; and transnational organized crime and terrorism are on the rise on the African continent.

Within the new partnership between the UN and the AU; between the world and Africa, possibilities may arise for new approaches to development, new roles for African states and organisations, new socio-economic and political solutions. Whatever these solutions are, they must be – to use the words of UNSG Guterres: “Africa owned, Africa-driven and Africa-led.”

The full call and submission instruction can be found on the website. The submission deadline is February 4, 2019.